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"It's all about timing, courage and mental ability - it's like running and jumping into a car wreck," he said. "And you want to make sure you get out of that situation."

However, as a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Assn, the most elite rodeo organization in the world, it is a situation he finds himself in often.

"We do two different styles, " he said. "Freestyle Bullfighting is similar to what they do in Spain, except we don't stab them and we don't use a cape. You can think of it as bloodless bullfighting."

Sparks' other job in the rodeo is distract the bull and prevent the fallen rider from getting gored, a style known as 'cowboy protection.' Sparks is adamant, however, that his job has come a long way since the days of the rodeo clown.

"I couldn't tell a funny joke if I tried," he said. "I only fight bulls."

The 30-year old Commandant of Cadets for the University of Wyoming's ROTC also bares the distinction of being the only professional rodeo bullfighter in the US Air Force, an organization not known for its cowboys. Today in his office in Wyo Hall, Sparks has nasty cut running down between his eyes; a recent run-in with 2,000 pounds of angry snarling beef perhaps?

"Nope," he said in his strong southern drawl. "That was a hunting accident this weekend - I took aim at a deer and the scope came back and busted my head. Everybody's been wondering how I can go fight bulls without getting hurt but I can't even shoot a gun."

Hunting mishaps apart, Sparks has had his fair share of injuries over his 16-year bullfighting career, including particularly nasty kick to the eye in 2004. Having wiped the blood off his face, Sparks went back out.

"In the bullfighting world we consider a broken neck or broken back a major injury, and Ive never had a major injury," he said. "Ive broken my leg and been hooked about two inches deep in my groin, but all in all Ive been pretty blessed."

In the arena, Sparks like to concentrate on being smart and always gives the bull the respect it deserves. "Theres no referee to call time out, no whistle," he said. "The bull doesnt know what a foul is."

Originally from the small town of Fountain Hill, Ark., Sparks has been a rodeo cowboy since he was 14, a choice that was not popular with his parents.

"My uncles owned a rodeo business; there was nothing to do so I just kind of got drawn into the rodeo scene, riding, roping, just being a cowboy. My parents didnt like the idea of riding bulls because it was dangerous, do Id just sneak around behind their back and get in front of the bulls that way."

Sparks originally came to Wyoming to work on missiles at the Warren Air Force Base, but managed to juggle his Air Force work with rodeo.

"When 9/11 happened, I just wanted to be a professional bullfighter; then I decided I wanted to go into the military and give back. I still have my papers asking what job I wanted to do, and I just wrote the needs of the Air Force-its been my ideal job.

Wyoming, with it strong cowboy culture, is the ideal place for Sparks to live and he plans to stay.

"The state is one of my sponsors; everything about Wyoming is rodeo and its the perfect home for me."

Sparks has now fought bulls in over 35 states and has put on a demonstration for the President of South Korea. Amongst his accolades are heavy weight titles in Cheyenne Frontier Days, the College National Finals, the PRCA Mountain States Circuit Finals and the Military World Finals.

One of the best things about rodeo for Sparks is the life style. "My best friends are cowboys," he said. "The camaraderie is one of the great things about rodeo. You travel the circuit, the wind is in your hair and you are your own boss."

He does however, plan to retire long before he hits 40. The professional cowboy has a two-year old son growing up in Hungary and realizes that life of a rodeo bullfighter has its dangers.

"Im a dad now; hopefully hell grow up to do something safer than I did," he said.

So how much of a cowboy is he? He does wear a heat and he has the rangy figure of a classic cowpoke, but when it comes to country music he is less typical.

"Well, I listen to some country and I do love Chris LeDoux cause he sings all the old traditional stories, but really Im more into alternative music.

His career was a long, hard route to the top.

"It wasnt easy," he said. "I always tell people no matter what you want to do, if you stick to it and dont let anyone tell you you cant, you can do anything in the world.

"Cowboys have a great mentality because we dont have coaches; there is nobody to pick us up when were down and give us a pep talk. Cowboys can have a very strong mind; theyre very die-hard creatures and everybody needs that in their life."

As Sparks life motto goes: "Everybody has the will to win, but not everybody has the will to prepare."

Western Horseman Magazine - September 2006

A BULLFIGHTER'S SALUTE

By: Fran Deveruex Smith

Following the events of Sept 11, 2001, professional bullfighter Jeremy Sparks joined the U.S. Air Force. On that fateful day, an Air Force sergeant was attending a bull-riding school that Sparks had helped organize and, as were most in the country, the two were taken aback by the news.

"I thought, 'If there was a time to serve my country, it's now,'" Jeremy says. "We have some much opportunity and so many freedoms here in the United States. I realizd I'd been taking things for granted and that it was time to do something."

A native of Fountain Hill, Arkansas, Jeremy attended the University of Central Arkansas in Conway and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Arkansas at Monticello with a bachelors in arts in communications. But fighting bulls tops his job list.

"When I was a kid, Ronny and Donny Sparks were my heros," Jeremy says. "We claim we're distant cousins," he adds, in response to the obvious question about kinship to the award-winning professional bullfighters from Texerkana, Texas.

As did his heros, Jeremy joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. He continued honing his arena skills and found an additional mentor in top bullfighter Mike Matt.

But by Sept. 28, 2001, Jeremy had become the only PRCA bullfighter in the USAF. Now a captain serving as an ICBM combat crew member operating nuclear-weapons systems, Jeremy is stationed at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Better yet, he's currently endorsed by the Air Force and represents the military branch at rodeos worldwide. He's fought bulls multiple times at the Cheyenne (Wyoming) Frontier Days Rodeo and the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming, as well as the Military World Finals. In 2002, he became the only American bullfighter to win the South Korea International Bullfight Festival title.

"Obviously, I have a real job with the military," Jeremy explains, "but I go on temporary duty to rodeos, where I fight bulls and recruit for the Air Force."

Jeremy has also added film work to his resume. He had a small speaking role and performed stunt work in the movie Grand Junction, which was filmed in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He'll next work as a wrangler on Comanche Moon, the prequel to the popular miniseries Lonesome Dove. Ultimately, however, he plans to earn a graduate degree and perhaps teach on the college level.

But for now, Jeremy says, "As long as I can serve my country and fight bulls, I'll do both."

Wyoming Tribune-Eagle 7/29/06

BULLFIGHTER IN THE ZONE

Sparks is so intent on the bull, he hears and smells nothing

By Shauna Stephenson

Rep4@wyomingnews.com

CHEYENNE- When the bulls come in the chutes at Frontier Park Arena, you can feel it.

Broncs kick the chutes, banging around and fussing, rearing their heads and striking with their front feet. Theyre drama queens throwing hissy fits for being put in the small, confined space.

But the bulls, for the most part, are quiet, stinky in the heat of the day. They stand still, sometimes sticking a snotty nose through the slates, sniffing the air.

Theyre conserving energy, waiting for the moment.

When the gate swings open, they unleash their speed and power. Theyre angry, ready to annihilate anything that crosses their path, flinging cowboys off their backs and sending groups of grown men scrambling for the fences.

But when the gate swings open, one person will be there. The bullfighter.

Behind the grandstands, Jeremy Sparks sits on a beige table as Chad Smidt tapes up his ankles.

Sparks is a bullfighter at Cheyenne Frontier Days. He is also an Air Force captain, a missileer for the 321^st Missile Squadron.

Sparks sits comfortably, lounging in the corner as his foot slowly disappears in white tape.

Athletic trainers and cowboys walk in and out of the trailer. Sparks greets them with a "Hey buddy, how are ya?"

He looks at Smidt taping. "You ever seen that show Jackass, where theyre paper cutting each other?" Sparks asks Smidt in his Arkansas drawl. "Yeah," Smidt says. "If I was young, I would try to get on that show," Sparks says. "Youre on one every weekend, whaddya mean," Smidt says laughing. He finishes up with the tape. "All right dude," Smidt says. "Thanks a lot," Sparks says pulling on his red soccer cleats. "You bet. Stay cool out there today," he says as Sparks leaves the trailer.

The red door to this dressing room reads, "Clowns Room. Bullfighters, Barrelmen and Rodeo Officials only," but only one of the three could fit into the small room at a time.

Clothes are strewn over the cement floor. The room has slowly become messier as the week as worn on. Sparks and the other bullfighters, Darrell Diefenbach and Mike Matt, sit on the flowery red benches on either side of the room, preparing for the start of the rodeo.

Sparks finishes up his makeup with a dab of baby powder, a trick of the trade to keep the paint from running.

His clothes are different from the other bullfighters. He doesnt wear the baggy jeans or suspenders anymore. Instead, its a streamlined jersey and shorts with the wings of the Air Force on his back, a modern outfit for an old-fashioned sport. He keeps the tradition of painting his face for all the bullfighters who have come before him.

He puts away his tin, a rickety piece, black with yellow flames, that he got at Hot Topic about 10 years ago.

"Its coming apart at every end, but I love it, and I cant get rid of it," he says.

Today he as "CK" initialed in between the flames on his checks for his friend, Cindy Kale, from home. Today is "Tough Enough to Wear Pink" day in support of those who have breast cancer and breast cancer survivors. He wears pink for Kale.

He leaves his dressing room, heading toward the light at the end of the cement breezeway. The wind pulls through the tunnel, creating a cool breeze as he makes his way toward the arena to stretch.

The stands are starting to fill with spectators. Paramedics watch from the fences, talking about the weather. They expect it to be a busy day: yesterday was cool, a good day from drinking. Today is hot, a good day to dehydrate and go down.

Sparks stretches slowly quads, hamstrings, calves and glutes.

Next to a large red sign reading "DANGER," he removes his cowboy hat and bows his head, chin to chest. His lips move as he prays.

"Dear Lord, thank you for the day. Please place a hedge of protection around the arena and keep the cowboys safe and the livestock safe and the bullfighers safe, and I ask that you fight bulls through me and that the crowd see you through me instead of me for me. Amen."

He tries to clear his mind of everything.

"In a bullfight, if youre thinking, youre hesitating," he says.

The announcer begins the countdown before the start of the rodeo. The Dandies come in, the anthem is sung, and the grand procession trots down the track.

Just before he goes into the arena, Sparks squeezes his forefinger and thumb together, relaxing, channeling energy, meditating. He could almost be Buddhist if he wasnt so Baptist.

He bangs the gate with his hands, signaling his switch to an almost primal sort of instinct, one that relies solely on reaction, and walks into the arena.

When Sparks was growing up in Arkansas, his grandmother, Fannie Cruce, used to take him to the rodeo, where he started riding bulls.

When his was about 14 years old, Sparks got hung up on a bull and stepped on. By that time, he had been on about 20 bulls. When he came home, banged and bruised, his parents put a stop to the bull riding.

"Looking back on it, its kinda like, damn I was stupid. But my mom always told me God takes care of fools and babies. And I was too old to be a baby."

But he couldnt get rodeo out of his system.

So every Friday, there was Cruce in her turquoise single cab Ford pickup, ready to pick up Sparks to go to the rodeo.

"I wouldnt tell on her for speeding, and she wouldnt tell on me for playing in the arena," Sparks says.

Sparks says she was a soft spoken woman, a country woman. "But she would chew your butt in a minute," Sparks says.

When he was 18, Sparks took a scholarship to go to McNeeseStateUniversity, but the summer before going to college, he was electrocuted.

He had been working on a tomato farm fro the summer. One day his boss asked him to plug in a fan. When he did, he felt a jolt and extreme heat going up his arm. The volts threw him 6 feet from the outlet, causing a lot of heart damage.

"I was in bad shape," he says.

He didnt get back to the rodeo until about three years later, when he joined the rodeo team at the University of Arkansas-Monticello.

"When you eat and breathe and live something, it consumes you."

"Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready for the bull riding?" yells Justin McKee, rodeo announcer for Cheyenne Frontier Days.

The first gate swings open, letting loose its angry contents.

Sparks and the other bullfighters form a circle around the bull and its rider. Sparks shuffles, left foot forward, hands out, left-right, left-right. He watches the cowboys hips and eyes. It the hips shift, theyre coming off. It their gaze shifts, theyre coming off.

He says some bullfighters stick their hands in the chutes before they open.

"I dont mess with them bulls, because I dont want them to mess with me. The last thing I want to do is make them madder than they are," he says.

When hes out there, he doesnt smell anything or hear anything.

"Youre so focuses and in a zone that they could be telling me I just won a million bucks, and theyd just have to mail me a letter because Id never know," he says.

Everything moves in slow motion.

"You dont feel the power of the animal," he says. "(You) feel yourself in the right place at the right time."

At the end of the first round, all three leave the arena for their dressing room, each still intact.

They now have an hour to wait before getting ready to go again. Its an adrenaline roller coaster, a series of highs and lows.

But, in the end, its still just a job.

Getting ready for round two, Sparks talks to barrelman Frankie "Punkintown" Smith.

"Is it 100 degrees today?" Smith says, preparing to roll his barrel back into the arena.

"92, they said," Sparks says as he bangs the gate and walks back into the arena.

Wyoming Tribune-Eagle (Frontier 2006)

By: Allen Thayer

Adrenaline Rush

Air Force Captain finds his own 'joy ride' in the rodeo arena

Air Force Captain Jeremy Sparks is exactly where he wants to be. And there's no better time to be here than the last full week in July for Cheyenne Frontier Days.

"Oh man, I love Cheyenne," Sparks said. It's big enough, but not so big you can't get around."

The 29-year old native of small-town Fountain Hill, Ark., home to a population of about 150 people, is a missileer for the Minuteman III ICBMs at FE Warren AFB and fills his possion for rodeo as much as he is able.

"There wasn't much else to do in Fountain Hill besides rodeo year-round," Sparks said. "My uncles owned a rodeo company with about 20 bulls."

But his parents decided to make bull riding off-limits.

So Sparks set his mind on another goal. "I dreamed about fighting bulls at CFD," Sparks said.

He's back for his fifth go-round this year.

Fellow bullfighter and best friend Mike Matt will attend his third "Daddy of 'em All," and Darrell Diefenbach is back for his second time after missing last year due to injury. Cody Sosebee and Frankie "Pumpkintown" Smith will split rodeo clown duties between them.

"Bullfighting is a little bit dangerous," Sparks admitted. "But I've trained for this my whole life, so it's not dangerous for me. It's just a joy ride."

Still, Sparks has had his run-ins with bulls.

I've definitely used the cowoy medics," Sparks said of the volunteer emergency medical techinicans from FE Warren. "They've helped me over the course of the nine-day rodeo.

"Two years ago, I got kicked in the head, and they wiped the blood off my face. Thank goodness I have never had a severe injury."

He likens the adrenaline rush he gets in the arena to what others might feel while racing motorbikes.

"I feel like an old man," Sparks said, describing his feeling of reaching the pinnacle of his sport.

"It's the best rodeo in the world, because the arena's so big, and they buck so many bulls (about 65 per day)," Sparks said. "I always walk around sad after it's over, because I'd like to see it go 365 days a year."

But he doesn't limit himself to working only CFD.

Sparks attended 18 rodeos last year and plans to participate in 16 this year. He made four stops in June and another four this month.

"It's a great endorsement I have with the Air Force," said Sparks, who joined the military shortly after the 9/11 terror attacks.

Altought not a recruitier himslef, he's able to reach a demographic usually not accessible to the military.

Sparks visits schools and gets kids to go see the recruiters if they want to learn more about the Air Force.

Warren Sentinel - July 2006

By: Lauren Hasinger

AF-sponsored bullfighter to perform at CFD

He's a missiler by day and a bullfighter by night.

Captain Jeremy Sparks, 321st Missile Squadron and the only Air Force sponsored bullfighter, is scheduled to perform at Cheyenne Frontier Days beginning Saturday.

"It's my passion," said Captain Sparks. "It's the one thing I live to do."

The Fountain Hill, Ark., native grew up around rodoes and has been part of them in one capacity or another since he was 14. He started out as a bullrider, but his parents soon put a stop to that.

"They thought it was dangerous," said Captain Sparks. "So I started fighting bulls to stay in the action."

Danger is relative to 29-year old Captain Sparks. During CFD, the captain will do what's called cowboy protection.

"The bullrider's goal is to ride for eight seconds," he said. "My goal is to make sure the bullrider can get off the animal and walk away safely. So I'm kind of like running interference for the bullrider. If someone has to take a hit, I want to offer myself up. When he (bullrider) comes off that animal he's in a different state of mind than I am. It's my job to distract the animal."

Though there's obvious danger in bullfighting, Captain Sparks believes because he's been doing it for more than half his life he knows what the dangers are and how to mitigate the risks.

He earned professional status through the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Assn in 2000. In a nut shell, that means he's a professional bullfighter. It's the highest professional sanctioning the rodeo has.

"For a rodeo guy, it's the highest you can get," he said.

Inspired to join the military after the events of 9/11, Captain Sparks didn't want to give up bullfighting. He began working with a recruiter after graduating college in 2001.

"I told him I didn't want to give up fighting bulls, but I would like to serve my country," he said.

Had he been sent to another base, it wouldn't have been as easy to continue fighting bulls.

"The one thing that's really benefitted me the most is being stationed in Cheyenne," said Captain Sparks. "Everybody embraces the Western heritage of the area."

Because Captain Sparks is sponsored by the Air Force he serves as a recruiting tool during the 18 rodeos he does each year. His goal, when coming in, was to do 12 rodeos a year.

"Right now, with the country in the situation it is in, everyone's more patriotic than in years back," he said. "People want me to come to their event so they can show their support to the country by having me there."

Another job title to add to the bullfighter/missileer's plate is movie actor.

Captain Sparks recently got picked up to do an independent film call "Grand Junction" in Santa Fe, NM. He had a small role and did some stunt work. Once finished, the movie will be shown during the Sundance Film Festival.

"Hopefully one thing will lead to another and I can explpore (more film) opportunities," he said.

For now, Captain Sparks is looking forward to CFD. He will perform daily at 1pm Saturday through july 30.

"I think God gives everybody a certain skill set. For some reason I believe I've been blessed with these talents," he said. "It's my pleasure to go out there and try to be a positive role model."

Collegiate Arena - July 2005 - COVER STORY

By: Laura Jane Hyde

Jeremy Sparks Fights Bulls at CNFR

Casper, Wyo - Jeremy Sparks is no stranger to college rodeo.

The Cheyenne, Wyo., cowboy competed for three years in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Assn (NIRA). Sparks is now a bull fighter at the 2005 College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR).

Not only is Sparks a bullfighter, but he is also an officer in the military. Sparks is an operator of nuclear missiles, and he is constantly undergoing rigorous traning. At first glance Sparks' two jobs seem unrelated. However, Sparks feels the pressure of being a bullfighter and a nuclear missile operator are very comparable - he gets a rush out of both.

This is the first year Sparks has been a bullfighter at the CNFR.

"It has always been a goal of mine to be here," Sparks said. "I can't stress the importance of an education. I wanted to show my support to the NIRA."

He said he fights bulls part-time and will attend approximately 16 rodeos this year.

Sparks, who is 28 years old, is a graduate from the University of Arkansas-Monticello where he received his Bachelor's degree in speech communication. While he was a member of the NIRA, he competed in team roping and calf roping.

"I fought bulls at some of our regional rodeos in college," Sparks said. I've been fighting bulls consistently since 1999."

Sparks said his education has been paramount to his success in the military. He has been in the Air Force for four years, and he was inspired to join the military after the attacks of September 11, 2001.

"Without an education I couldn't be doing what I'm doing now. I'm about to make Captain," Sparks said. "An education is something a guy can be proud of."

Sparks is constantly undergoing training for his job in the military. His job is to deter missiles.

I'm an operator," he said. "I have my finger on the trigger of nuclear missiles."

Scholarships that organizations such as U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company and the Army National Guard provide to college students are remarkable, according to Sparks. He said these scholarships show that big organizations value and education.

Sparks' jobs will help him support his wife and his two-week old son.

Sparks was recently selected to fight bulls during the 2006 CNFR.

The Fence Post - 25 July 2005 - COVER STORY

By Tony Bruguiere

The Lieutenant Is A Bullfighter

It is not uncommon for a rodeo contestant to have a second job, but it is not every day that you find that second job is being a lieutenant in the United States Air Force. But that is just where you will find First Lieutenant Jeremy Sparks when he is not in the rodeo arena.

Not only is Sparks a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Assn (PRCA) rodeo bullfighter, he is also with the 90th Space Wing at FE Warren AFB, Cheyenne, Wyo. He is an ICBM Combat Crew member operating the MM III weapon system.

Sparks has an impressive list of accomplishments packed into his 28 years of life, both in the field of academics and as a five-year member of the PRCA.

According to the PRCA, "Jeremy Sparks has one of the most impressive list of academic accomplishments in pro rodeo." He is a magna cum laude graduate from the University of Arkansas-Monticello with a degree in Communications, is included in the 2001 Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, and is a three-time All American Scholar.

His rodeo career has been equally impressive. In 2000, Sparks showed his potential as a front runner in the rookie bullfight at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. He is the only American bullfighter to win at the Cheongdo Bullfighting Festival in South Korea, taking the title in 2002 and 2005. He has also been selected as one of the top four bullfighters for the Mountain States Circuit. Three times, he has been one of the bullfighters at Cheyenne Frontier Days, and fans will see him once again this year in his trademark Air Force blue "baggies" at the "Daddy of 'em All" in Cheyenne.

First Lieutenant Sparks is the only PRCA bullfighter with endorsements by the USAF. His bullfighting uniform shows his pride in being a member of the USAF. His "baggies" with large Air Force logos on them, and his trademark, brightly colored Air Force shirt go on over spandex shorts, football pads for his legs and hips, and a lightweight plastic "flax vest" to protect his chest. After applying his makeup, Sparks is ready to go out and do his job of protecting rodeo cowboys from bucking bulls which are 1,800 pounds of angry hooves and horns.

As you can imagine, Lt Sparks' second job is not without its hazards. Even with all the padding, Sparks gets his share of injuires. At Cheyenne Frontier Days in 2004, a bull hooked him when he took a hoof to the head. "We can cover up parts of our body," he said, "but I guarantee you'll get hit where you're not covered. That's just part of the game."

The "game" for bullfighters is all about protecting cowboys.

"My primary responsibility is to take care of the bull rider - make sure they'd don't get injured and make sure they get away safely from the bull when they dismount," Sparks says. Some people have called bullfighters the Secret Service of bull riding because of their willingness to sacrifice their own bodies to insure they safety of the cowboys they protect.

So while you are enjoying Cheyenne Frontier Days this year, pay special attention to the skill and courage of the bullfighters -- and especially to Lt Jeremy Sparks in his Air Force blue "baggies".

Airman Magazine - November 2004 (click here)

TSgt Mark Kinkade

Photos by: Kevin Gruenwald

Dodging bulls and protecting cowboys is all in a days work.

Let's deal with the misconceptions first: 1st Lt. Jeremy Sparks isn't a rodeo clown. He doesn't goof around for the crowd. He doesn't drop his pants at the bull, and rarely heads for the nearest barrel when the bull tilts its horns his way. His job is simple: Keep the bull away from the cowboy.

The proper term, he says, is "bullfighter."

The lieutenant, a officer with the 90th Space Wing at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., says a clown entertains the crowd. Bullfighters entertain the bull so the 2,000-pound horned animal doesn't hurt the rider.

Think of him as a "bovine distraction unit," perhaps.

"A bullfighter isn't there to be funny," Lieutenant Sparks said with a heavy Mississippi drawl. "A rodeo clown tells jokes and entertains. He helps protect us with a barrel. Our only job is protecting the cowboy."

The lieutenant holds the distinction of being the only Air Force-sponsored bullfighter working the professional rodeo circuit. That means he participates in about 12 events each year, usually wearing a garish shirt with the Air Force emblem on the back and a pair of baggy jean shorts. The Air Force helps defray the cost of what he confesses is an unusual hobby.

"It's not like I play golf or something," he said as he prepared for a recent tour of duty at the Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo in Cheyenne, Wyo. "I suppose some people think it's strange or crazy that I get out there and run away from bulls, but I love it."

Bullfighting set its horns into the lieutenant when he was a young boy in Fountain Hill, Ark. His uncle ran an amateur rodeo and with little else to do in the tiny country hamlet, he joined in whenever he could. But he didn't care for riding or roping. "I happened to like fighting bulls," he said. "It was different and fun. And I think I had a talent for it." He grew up tall and gangly, with a thin frame and quick reflexes. After college, he decided to try making a living as a professional bullfighter.

Sept. 11, 2001, changed all of that.

"I had no plans of joining the military," he said. "But after the terrorist attacks, I realized I needed to do my part for the country. I believe everybody should."

After joining the Air Force, Lieutenant Sparks was able to get the service to help support his bullfighting passion. Though not considered for the World Class Athlete program, he still gets assistance with travel and billeting cost because he serves as a "recruiting poster" for the Air Force.

"I travel to a lot of rodeos, and that's an audience for recruiting," he said. "They see me with the logo on my clothes or find out I'm in the service and want to talk to me about it. That's a good thing for the Air Force."

NO BULL

At first glance, bullfighting seems simple: Bull bucks rider, bullfighter jumps in front of bull. Bull chases fighter while cowboy climb fence. Simple, right?

Not so simple. For one thing, it may take only eight seconds or so for a bull to toss a rider or for the rider to leap off the bull, but the lieutenant and other bullfighters still have to keep the animal distracted until wranglers coax tha animal back into the chute. And they're "on duty" for the entire run of the event - not just one or two rides.

At the 10-day long Frontier Days rodeo, the lieutenant worked about three shows a day. And while that may not seem like much, that's several hours of warily eyeballing big angry animals sporting horns and hooves. It's a stressful job requiring stamina, a quick mind and even quicker reflexes.

"Those animals can be unpredictable," Lieutenant Sparks said. "I've been doing this for a while, but they can still surprise me. You have to stay on your toes, and that can be exhausting."

The lieutenant considers bullfighters athletes, and like any athlete, he trains to compete. He runs wind sprints to build his quick reaction time. He runs distance to build endurance. He plays racquetball to relax and build his lateral movement skills.

"I try to stay in shape, but I know the real training takes place up here," he said, tapping his temple. "It takes a lot of mental composure to do this."

GAME ON

He starts each show by looking over the arena. If it recently rained, like it had at Frontier Days, he checks his traction on the dirt. Then he quietly suits up in the dressing room. He tapes the various scrapes, dings and sprains he inevitably suffers at every rodeo, then slips on spandex shorts, football pads for his legs and hips, an undershirt and light-weight plastic "flak vest" to protect his chest. Then he dons his trademark Air Force shirt and baggy shorts wiht suspenders.

The shorts aren't really shorts at all. Called "baggies," they're an old pair of extra wide jeans with the legs cut off and the crotch seems opened up. In effect, when he's working, the lieutenant wears a large denim skirt. He said the get-up is part practical, part legacy.

"They were born out of tradition," he said. "They go back to the mid 1900's when bullfighters would cut out the crotch for freedom of movement. They became a kind of identity."

Freedom of movement is key when your signature move - the dodge used to avoid the charging bull - is leaping over the animals head. You can't do that in restrictive clothing, he said.

Ultimately, all the baggy shorts and pads in the world aren't enough to keep pain away, he said. He's been gored, stomped, kicked and bucked by animals for years. No matter what a bullfighter does, something is bound to happen.

"It's like going to war," the lieutenant said. "We can cover up parts of our body, but I guarantee you'll get hit where you're not covered. That's just part of the game."

In the rodeo world, the cowboys get all the press and the bulls get all the respect. The bullfighters often go unnoticed, which is fine wiht Lieutenant Sparks. He's not doing it for the acclaim.

"The way I see it, you can't forget where you came from," he said. I'm a small town country boy, but I know you can't be too good for your own good."

And if children and rodeo fans keep referring to the bullfighter as a "rodeo clown?"

Lieutenant Sparks laughed.

"What I'm labeled doesn't really matter," he said. "I fight bulls because I like to fight bulls."

9News - Denver, CO Interview (Click to Play)

Roger Wolfe

7/29/2004

CHEYENNE, Wyom. - Jeremy Sparks is a rodeo clown, though he prefers to be called a "cowboy protector."

"My primary responsibility is to take care of the bull rider - make sure they don't get injured - make sure they get away safely from the bull when they dismount," he says.

When he's in the rodeo arena, Sparks wears face paint and baggy denim shorts. But that's not his only uniform.

"I'm an officer in the U.S. Air force," he says. "I'm an ICBM crew member."

Sparks is a launch control officer for peacekeeper missiles. He sees some parallels between his day job and his rodeo hobby.

"There's responsibility in both of them. I'm responsible for those cowboys when I'm fighting bulls, and when I'm commanding a missile system I'm responsible for 50 missiles."

The Air Force supports Sparks' rodeo career as an official sponsor.

"I can endorse the Air Force to a market that's outside the norm," he says. "It gets the word out to young people out there that we all have a lot of fun even though we're in the military."

And Sparks plans to continue both protecting cowboys and protecting his country as long as possible.

"It's so good because the Air Force is working with me to fight bulls," he says. "Everyone's being supportive and as long as I'm healthy I don't see why I'd change what I'm doing."

He mixes duty with vocation

Arkansas bull fighter is able to serve country and protect cowboys

Dallas Morning Star

Ed Knocke

09:55 PM CDT on Wednesday, July 28, 2004

Many lives were changed by Sept. 11. One of those whose life was touched by the tragic events was Jeremy Sparks, who at the time was an up-and-coming rodeo bull fighter from Fountain Hill, Ark.

"I decided I wanted to do something to serve my country," he said.

He said he told the Air Force recruiter he was a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association bull fighter, and he would like to keep fighting bulls. But he also wanted to serve his country. He wondered if it could be worked out where he could serve in the military as well as fight bulls.

He's not sure why it worked out, but after going to officers' training school in October 2001, he was assigned to Warren Air Force Base near Cheyenne, Wyo. He returned to Warren for a four-year tour this week after graduating from missile school at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Today, Sparks, 27, is an Air Force first lieutenant, a member of the missile combat crew at Warren. But this week he shed his Air Force uniform and silver bars and put on baggy jeans and covered his face with greasepaint.

He is working as a full-time bull fighter, protecting bull riders at one of the most prestigious rodeos, the Cheyenne Frontier Days.

"It was a perfect place to be because of the connection the Air Force has with the Frontier Days," he said. "It might have been a different story if they had sent me to some other part of the country."

He's working alongside Darrell Diefenbach and Mike Matt, two of the world's top bull fighters.

"It's an awesome feeling to be working here," Sparks said. "There are a lot of bull fighters who have stellar careers and never get here."

Matt, who has known Sparks for years, says Sparks has become a good bull fighter. Sparks says Matt has taught him more about fighting bulls than anyone else.

Sparks first came to work at Cheyenne on the rodeo's Air Force Day in 2001, but the last two years he has been doing it full time.

Sparks got into fighting bulls in a strange way. When his parents nixed his idea of riding bulls, he decided the next best thing was to protect the other riders from the bulls. He really didn't inform his parents what he was doing, but he started his bull fighting career at 14.

He started hanging out with his cousins, twins Ronny and Donny Sparks, both former world champion bull fighters. They helped him with the basics of the sport.

"I looked up to those guys," he said. "So I spent a lot of time out at their place.

"At first, it was just a form of entertainment. Then as I got older, I learned I had some talent, so I kept pursuing it."

He later worked his way through college as a rodeo bull fighter while earning a degree in speech communications from the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

Today, he says he's living in the best of two worlds. "The Air Force is endorsing me," he said. "I get to promote the military in general, and I also get to serve the country. I'm living a good dream right now."

E-mail eknocke@dallasnews.com

Denver Post

July 23, 2004

By Ed Will Denver Post Staff Writer

Just Your Average Bull and Nuclear Deterrent

Jeremy Sparks works two jobs that focus on deterring danger. For one, he puts on the silver bars of an Air Force first lieutenant.

For the other, he dons baggy, ripped jeans and covers his face with greasepaint.

Sparks is a missile combat crew member stationed at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base near Cheyenne. "We are controlling nuclear weapons," he said. "Other than that, I dont know what I am allowed to say about it. Our mission is deterrent. Especially now with the war on terror, our strong focus is deterrent."

Sparks is also a card-carrying Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association bullfighter. He will be protecting cowboys from bulls at Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeos, scheduled daily Saturday through Aug. 1.

Sparks unusual dual career path started in Fountain Hill, Ark., where his uncles owned a small amateur rodeo company.

"That little town I am from, we only had about 150 people there," Sparks said. "There was nothing to do on Friday and Saturday nights in that little town, so everybody went to the rodeo."

Thats where Sparks first became acquainted with bucking bulls. He had a brief encounter with them as a rider. His parents put and end to it. "I got hung up and hooked a little bit when I was doing riding, and my parents, they didnt like that. They didnt like me coming home all beat up," he said.

So he started protecting the other bull riders. He was 14.

Sparks failed to mentioned to Mom and Dad that instead of riding bulls he was running at them, slapping their noses, pulling their tails and using all the other bull-annoying tricks rodeo clowns use to distract the 2,000 pound animals that menace the cowboys.

His parents probably werent too surprised when they heard their teenager was running round with bulls in a rodeo arena. Sparks two cousins were world-champion bullfighters who competed on the now-defunct Wrangler Bullfight tour, said Jim Muller, Frontier Days rodeo chairman.

"It was just a way of entertainment," Sparks said. "Then as I got older, I figured out I had some talent, so I just kept pursuing it. Every now and the, you hear about someone starting at 14, but that is young. Looking back on it, you think, Man alive 14 or 15 years old is young. Youre a little bitty fella at that time."

Sparks likened his bullfighting precociousness to that of a kid who can throw a baseball faster and straighter than other Little League players.

"I just had an ability to read bulls and figure out what they were kind of thinking," he said. "You usually didnt see that until you got a little bit more advanced in your bullfighting."

Sparks also had the dedication and desire it takes for any athlete to reach the top of his sport. "I lived and breather it," he said. "Thats all I wanted to do. I didnt care about going to school. I just lived for Friday and Saturday nights.

"There is definitely adrenalin involved with it. There is a sense of accomplishment. Youre taking care of those bull riders. They are depending on you, and (there is) the respect you gain from those guys, the camaraderie you share with them. Just knowing that you can come out of a bad situation OK. I mean, when those guys come off the bull, I want to go in. Some people are kind of hesitant, but I just love that danger factor and the adrenalin. I like to bit off more than I can chew and chew it."

Sparks worked his way through college, performing at 50-60 rodeo performances each year. He earned his degree in speech communications from the University of Arkansas at Monticello but had not firm plans when he graduated.

"Sept 11 happened, and I wasnt sure what I was going to do, so I decided I would serve the country for a little while," he said.

Sparks visited an Air Force recruiting office that September, 90 percent sure he would sign up.

"But I did tell the recruiter Hey I am in the PRCA as a bullfighter, and I want to keep fighting bulls," Sparks said. "I want to serve the country too, but if we can work this out where I can fight bulls and I am in the military, that would be the best."

The recruit got the Air Force to go along with his request. He went to officers training school in October 2001 and was assigned to Warren two months later.

"Cheyenne was just the perfect place because of the outstanding military-rodeo relationship and the strong Western heritage that is there," Sparks said. "It might have been a different story if they had sent me to the Northeast where the opportunity just wouldnt have presented itself."

Muller said Warren AFB and Frontier Days work together to make Sparks available for bullfighting duty.

"He is a very excellent bullfighter," Muller said. "It started out a couple of years ago. He just came out for Air Force Day. But now, for the last two years, hes fighting bulls every day."

Troy Schwindt, managing editor of the ProRodeo Sports News, echoed Mullers assessments of Sparks skills. "Jeremys enthusiasm and pride as a cowboy protector is obvious both in and out of the arena. He takes his role seriously," Schwindt said through the PRCA media office.

Sparks Air Force duties limited the number of PRCA rodeos he can work to 10 or so a year, mostly in the Mountain States circuit. He also does the Military World Finals Rodeo and a bullfighting festival in South Korea each year.

He is going to have plenty of time to try to reach his goal of working the Rocky Mountain Stampede in Greeley and the National Western in Denver to his resume. He returns to Warren for a four-year tour this weekend after graduating Thursday from Space and Missile school at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Another goal is to make a career of the military.

"I really like the military, but I really miss the freedom of living the rodeo lifestyle here one day and gone the next," Sparks said. "But in a sense you have to realize hat rodeo life can be taken away at anytime. The military is a little bit more stable, and I am married."

Sparks said sometimes it hurts to see all his rodeo buddies doing well and know he doesnt have the same freedom. But, he added, "You know, weve got a commitment that is larger than ourselves."

Staff writer Ed Will can be reached at 303-820-1694 or ewill@denverpost.com